Broken, But Not Lost
by Flame77Blast
Summary: Lucy returns home one day to discover that Natsu has taken Aquarius' key. She hurries to find him and get her key back, but discovers soemthing unexpected instead. (Takes place after Zeref's defeat)


**_Nalu One Shot_**

 ** _HBD Molly!_**

 ** _Oh honey my sweet baby is growing up so fast! Look at you 15 now! I remember when you were 5 and man oh man we did not know each other at all!_**

 ** _Well I hope this present makes you happy!_**

 ** _(Mood Music - watch?v=7CLhlXDxiU4 )_**

 ** _So anyway, without further ado, enjoy you little weirdo! I LOVE YOU MOOLY!_**

Lucy's cheeks puffed out, emitting a groan in irritation. She had just walked into the guildhall and was greeted by Mira. The white haired mage was cleaning some of the tables in the mess hall and had noticed the brown eyes mages irritated stare and upset looking face.

"Hello Lucy, what brings you hear today?" Mira attempted to get an answer out of her, but to no avail. Lucy seemed to be in her own little world again.

"Where's Natsu?"

Mira looked at her, confused by the attitude the blonde mage had greeted her with. Mira simply brushed it aside and pointed back toward the pool area. "He and Happy went for a dip a while ago, they should still be there right now."

The blonde huffed and marched off in the general direction, not waiting another second to say a thank you or utter a hello to anyone else. She marched down the stairs and walked down the hallway toward the pool.

Now what was bothering the blonde so much today. Usually she could put up with the dragon slayer's whims and rushed actions. Usually she had better patience, usually she was not ready to slap the boy.

Well to put it simply, Lucy had returned home from having tea with Erza and Wendy earlier in the day and was overcome with the sensation that someone was in her apartment, or at least had been in it.

She burst open the door and cried out to who ever was their as usual. "WHO EVER IS HERE BETTER GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" She was greeted back by silence, never a good feeling from such a rowdy guild.

That's when she noticed a piece of paper left on her coffee table, words written down in a familiar almost unreadable handwriting. She groaned and felt a pit begin to grow in her stomach. The last time he had left her a note, things were not okay and he disappeared for a year.

But that shouldn't be the case now right? Zeref was defeated, and he no longer was processing END within him. Natsu was just well, the pink haired idiot she had fallen in love with all the time ago back in Hargeon. Lucy shook the thoughts from her head, not wanting to think about such painful memories and began to read the message actual message he had left her.

She squinted and tried to make out the first few words, knowing that reading Natsu's handwriting was a job in and of itself.

"Yo Lucy!" Borrowed Aquarius key! Hope you don't mind!"

-Natsu"

Lucy's eyes widened. She rushed over to her dresser drawer where she kept her mermaid spirit's broken key. She gripped the knob and flung it open, and gasped.

The usual spot where she kept the broken key was gone. She slammed the drawer shut and rushed out her door. She could feel herself getting upset as she run down the stairs and into the street. But how could she not?

Aquarius was her most precious friend and spirit. She had saved her so many times and taught her so many things. That key was a memento from her late mother, the only way Lucy truly felt connected to her. He knew how important that key was to her, and she was so protective of it. Yet he just took it without a second thought to do who knows what?

Natsu was rash and thickheaded. He could be using Aquarius key as a toothpick, or a mini sword to fight happy, maybe poke Gray with it? The possibilities were endless.

She paused momentarily in the street, feeling some wetness run down her cheek. She wiped away her small amount of tears and took a deep breath.

"Natsu would never hurt you purposefully, and he was probably not thinking when he took the key. You should not be upset with this, you should be angry with him. Yet, why do I feel so scared?"

She pushed the guildhall doors open and saw Mira washing the tables. Lucy put on an angry face and walked toward the white haired mage.

Lucy could hear the sounds of water being splashed around and Natsu's voice speaking to someone. She, wanting to wait until the right moment to yell at him, tucked herself against the wall adjacent to the pool and began to ease drop.

"I told you, it's not gonna work no matter how many times, the three of you try it…" Came Gray's voice, him sounding irritated.

"Gray-sama needs to support Juvia and Natsu more." The water mage spoke back.

"Yeah Gray! At least we are trying to do this! All you have done is stand there and watch us!" Natsu bellowed toward the darker haired devil slayer.

"Natsu, focus." Happy's voice emerged. "Lucy could show up any second now!"

"Yeah right… Juvia, can you reshape the bottom of the key again?"

"Juvia will do her best for Love Rival!"

The sound of water could just be heard barely followed by a few 'ahs' by Natsu and Happy.

"It looks just like the bottom of the key!" Natsu cheered. "Alright let's try this again!"

Lucy, feeling curiosity getting the best of her, peeked her head out of the hallway and once again released a gasp at the site in front of her.

Natsu and Juvia were standing in the pool, Juvia concentrating her magic on recreating the bottom half of Aquarius' key, while Natsu was holding the key, as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

Happy was hovering above the two, watching with a determined look on his face, showing that he was just as in to whatever they were trying to do as the two others.

Gray, already half naked, stood by the pool side, watching with a disgruntled look on his face. His face held a slight blush, most likely from the fact that Natsu was in a pool with Juvia and he was not. Typical Gray, not being honest with his feelings.

"Natsu should try now, Juvia believes it will work!" Juvia smiled at the pink haired male.

"ALRIGHT!" Natsu yelled and lifted the key up. "Open gate of the Water Bearer ! Aquarius!"

He plunged the key into the pool's gleaming blue water and waited patiently for the blue haired mermaid to show up and scowl at him for summoning her instead of Lucy.

Yet nothing happened, instead the boy just pulled the key back out and sighed, irritation on his face, and disappointment in his eyes. He slapped the water and sulked.

"Juvia is sorry, maybe she missed a detail or-"

"It's not your fault Juvia…" Natsu spoke and smiled at her brightly. "You can go now, have fun on your date with Ice for Brains."

Juvia nodded sadly and climbed out of the pool, walking next to Gray. The ice mage opened his mouth to say something snarky back at the fire mage, but was stopped when Juvia placed a hand on his shoulder. She shook her head, her blue hair moving in sync with her body.

"Come on Gray-sama, let's leave Natsu alone."

The blue eyed male tch'ed and followed Juvia toward an exit opposite of Lucy. Lucy turned her head back to the fire dragon slayer and his exceed. Natsu was now floating on his back in the pool.

Happy sat on the side of the pool, kicking his paws back and forth in the cool water, watching Natsu pout. Aquarius' key rested tightly in his palms, he held it as if it was his own life and magic power.

"I just don't understand Happy. We did everything right. We reshaped the key, and summoned her like Lucy does, yet nothing happened!"

The pink haired boy splashed in a fit and turned to his blue cat companion. "Maybe it's cause we are not Celestial Wizards?"

"No, Brandish was able to summon Aquarius as a child and she is in no way a celestial mage…."

"Dummies, its cause Aquarius key has already been recreated and placed back on Earth Land." Lucy sighed and walked out from her hiding place.

"LU-LUCY!" Natsu stuttered and jumped out of the pool, water dripping down his bare chest. His green eyes widened and he placed an arm behind his back in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.

"How long have you been standing there?" Happy asked, flying over to his friend.

"Long enough to not want to hurt either one of you any more…" Lucy mumbled. "But enough to realize that you are pretty amazing as well."

Natsu blushed and waved his hand in front of her. "ME? I couldn't even open a simple gate to bring Aquarius back… I'm not that special at all…."

Lucy tackled him into a hug. "Oh stop, you were trying to fix her key, and you were so determined. That's more than anyone has ever done for me. You knew how much I care for my spirits and you were determined to let me see her again…"

Her voice trailed off, and she sniffled back tears, feeling Natsu wrap his arms back around her, chuckling to himself. "Man, you really are strange…"

"Oh shush, we are having a moment dummy…."

"Yeah I guess we are."

Lucy looked up at the fire mage and leaned in, waiting for their lips to connect, which Natsu happily obliged to.

He felt warm like always and she smiled into the kiss. After all, as long as Lucy had Natsu, everything would turn out okay in the end. They always did.

 ** _Bonus~_**

"My my, kids today~" Happy teased, watching his two friends make out.

"Shut it cat~" Lucy grumbled, and glared at Natsu as he laughed at her upset face.


End file.
